On the 13th August 2014, Oxpeckers.org released further earth shattering information that 260 of these rhinos had been sold to three hunting safari companies in the Northern Cape namely Winterhoek Safaris, Chapunga Safaris and Steyn Safaris. Apparently the contracts with the abovementioned were signed in October/November 2013, 10 months prior to cabinet approval being given for the relocation of these rhinos.

A Johannesburg attorney (Christopher Bean), The Democratic Alliance (Terri Stander – Shadow Deputy Minister Environmental Affairs) and OSCAP (Allison Thomson) have all lodged complaints at the Public Protector’s office in the last week requesting urgent investigations into these contracts amongst a myriad of other issues. The Public Protector has been requested to put a halt to the movement of the 260 rhinos until such time as a full investigation has been completed.

Some investigative work was done on these safari outfitters and a few worrying connections were made. One particularly concerning piece of information is that Mr Alexander Steyn, of Steyn Safaris, is mentioned in Julian Rademeyer’s book “Killing for Profit” as the individual that allegedly connected Dawie Groenewald with a Vietnamese rhino horn buyer.

Dawie Groenewald is awaiting trial on more than 1 500 charges relating to his involvement in pseudo hunting and racketeering. It is alleged that Steyn participated in rhino hunts on Groenewald’s farm as well. Whether these hunts formed part of the pseudo hunting saga remains unknown.

Equally alarming is an allegation by a very reliable source that SANParks officials visited some of these safari outfitters and included in this team were members of their scientific team, their veterinary department and also officials from Northern Cape Conservation – whose acting director appears to be none other than Dr David Mabunda’s brother, Mr Albert Mabunda.

These representatives did numerous in situ inspections and were apparently advised by a member of a scientific authority that certain ranches were unsuitable for the rhinos but despite these recommendations, SANParks went ahead with the sales.

We are also led to believe (from the same reliable source) that on one particular ranch there is insufficient security, that they are already at maximum carrying capacity and that grazing is limited. Apparently, their own in-house vet had previously expressed his concerns about the health of the rhinos which resulted in supplementary feeding being implemented.

Further probing also revealed that one of the co-owners of Wintershoek happens to be the Deputy President of Wildlife Ranching SA (WRSA) which raises questions about the involvement of a certain SANParks board member who up until very recently was the President of WRSA and is still very closely associated with them.

How much of a role did this play? Did this play any role in the selection of the purchasers?

According to the Department of Environmental Affairs the purpose of the “evacuation” of rhinos is to move them to safer areas due to the escalating poaching crisis in the Kruger National Park (KNP) and the inability to contain this onslaught. However, when the above information is taken into account, many questions arise when one looks at the destinations they are allegedly being moved to. Is SANParks able to guarantee the safety of these animals after they have been sold and what benefit will they have to conservation if they are going to be shot and killed by hunters? Are there any guarantees supplied by the purchasers that these animals will not be hunted and will they maintain sufficient security on the premises to protect these animals from poachers? Will any offspring be returned to supplement KNP’s meta- population?

If these rhinos are being moved to so-called “safer” locations surely there must be some sort of guarantee in place that they will indeed be kept safe and alive? If so then this would exclude the hunting of these animals, or else they may as well remain where they are under the protection of SANParks and other government security forces in the park. It is alleged that on one of these reserves, a 54 000 hectare farm there are only six “game scouts” none of which are trained or equipped to do anti-poaching.

In the past when SANParks disposed of rhinos they were either sold on auction or went out on tender. According the Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999 “movable state assets may be disposed of at market related value or by tender or auction, whichever is most advantageous to the state, unless determined otherwise by the relevant treasury.”

What needs to be ascertained is whether these rhinos were, in fact, sold at current market values or not, because it appears that there was no tender process or auction. In order to do this it would have to be ascertained what proportion of these 260 are male/female and white/black rhino.

It is believed that the 260 rhinos were sold for a mere R60m (Sunday Times) which equates to an average price of R230 700 per rhino.

In May 2014 at an auction held by Vleissentraal the following price were recorded for rhino sales:

Based on this information it could be argued that a much higher price could have been realised by SANParks had the 260 rhinos gone out on tender or auction. At least one private rhino owner has indicated that it is becoming increasingly difficult to buy rhinos at auctions. Prices are climbing steadily and more often than not, multiple (if not all) animals available are purchased by one or two individual buyers. So, when an opportunity like the sale of hundreds of SANParks rhinos presents itself, it is disappointing that deals are apparently concluded behind the scenes and no transparent processes are in place to ensure fairness.

The complaints that have been lodged with the Public Protector also call for investigations into the allocation and spending of the enormous amount of funding that has gone to SANParks in the recent past, reportedly towards improving anti-poaching. The Public Protector has been asked to halt all movement of these rhinos out of the KNP until such time as a full investigation has been done into the contracts and the suitability of the destinations that these rhinos are supposedly being moved to.

During a recent radio interview with Nigel Morgan, who was involved with a contractor that recently had its contract suspended suddenly by SANParks, Morgan alleged that a certain employee within SANParks gets paid R95 000 a month and reportedly also received a R1m commission on funding that was sourced for the KNP. This is hard to fathom when it appears that the rangers on the ground who put their lives on the line daily to protect the wildlife don’t even get paid one tenth of this amount in salaries and apparently aren’t supplied with things as basic as batteries for their night vision equipment.

It will be interesting to see what the outcome of the Public Protector’s investigation reveals. One must remember that the SANParks has a mandate to conserve our wildlife for future generations and by all accounts it appears that they are failing to do this. Hopefully the Public Protector will be able to flush out those who are responsible for this failure.

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OSCAP (Outraged SA Citizens Against Poaching) which is a South African based NGO that is vehemently opposed to the opening of rhino horn trade and has called for a National Moratorium on Rhino hunting in an effort to stem the flow of rhino horn trade onto the black market via pseudo hunting. OSCAP recently hosted an international conference in SA where the risks of Rhino Horn Trade were dealt with by a host of knowledgeable international and local speakers. OSCAP assists private rhino owners with anti-poaching equipment such as tracker dogs, camera traps, bullet proof vests and in 2013 had the first ever Rhino Ambulance manufactured for the Rhino Orphanage and has a further 2 ambulances in production which will be out in the field in the next month.

Call my cynical but I have long been of the opinion that there are people in influential positions who are rubbing their hands together at the thought of this happening. These people would be only too happy to see the demise of the rhino in the wild if it meant they had stashed sufficient numbers of the species in the hands of private enterprises. Needless to say the value of said rhino would then go through the roof. It reminds me of Goldfinger in James Bond, attempting to irradiate the Fort Knox gold supply in order to vastly increase the value of his own.

For a real-life example, I give you the scimitar-horned Oryx. Hunted to extinction in the wild, there now exists a large population in Texas. The owners have little intention of re-wilding the species, instead they breed them for one purpose – trophy hunts. A nice little earner if you can get it.

Liz Telfer

and so the corruption begins ,,,how long did it take after Mandela,s death

Garth

Another one who thinks Mandela was a saint.

Frans

He was the glue that held things together. The current crop of SA politicians are totally corrupt, and treat government as their own heaven sent ‘get rich quick’ opportunity!

But then, why should South Africa be different to any other African state?

Liz Telfer

no i didnt think he was a saint,but he held the country to a certain standard of behavior,,,now the snouts will be in the trough. the corruption that infests Africa doesnt take long when the main character is gone ,like Kenyatta and so many others they had an ideal ,but those that cam after totally destroy it.Garth you should engage your rain more often …

Mignonne van Heerden

This has not started only now. This has been going on a very long time

Diane Anderson

well said

Garth

Rain..?

Mark Kirk

It’s a prelude to the reopening of trade; a short-term economic coup but ultimately devastating for free-roaming rhino. If prices of rhino are ‘steadily increasing’ at auction and given the security costs of protecting private herds then, by implication and amongst the commercial fraternity at least, the word is out.

Janine Olivier Scorer

Now is also a good time fo find out why the Pathfinders who were so sucessfull in the Park gathering intelligence were so suddenly removed (or not had their contract renewed? ) And what happend to all the millions from Warren Buffet fund and the Dutch Lottery fund ????? Come on journous surely you can get to the truth on this

Sameer Karkal

This is rediculus , Greed mankind is manipulating all the attributes of Laws… Everyone are sold their souls to blady hunters… The total system as to be changed.. this issue as to be seriouly taken in welfare of animal rights…

marius

One thing they must do…. fire all of the KNP people who are involved in selling the rino’s and put they guys behind bars who bought the rino’s.

Alison

By the way, Marius Rhino is spelt with an h.

Alan Kennedy

Sickening arrogANCe

Mignonne van Heerden

With Mr Mabunda in the picture, I have long ago at Tsitsikamma experienced his high handed ways…HE will decide, no matter what the minister of Environment decides. Rhino-Gate.

Diane Anderson

PLEASE keep us updated on this via FB, its very interesting reading and just incredibly sad. All for financial gain!!!!

Lynda Corkum

“Safekeeping”? That’s a bit like entrusting your chickens to a fox to keep them safe! I hope this gets international media attention….blow this corruption wide open! No wonder these guys never get prosecuted…they are in bed with the government! Shame on SA!!!!!!!

AMV

This is typical of how are planet will go extinct, pure GREED. Those who buy, those who take advantage and those who just don’t care. We can all talk, but few walk the walk!

Patima

This is outrageous..

Daniel Oliver Jost

It must be legally clarified if Edna Molewa and Jakob Zuma can also be considered “movable state assets”. If so, they could also be disposed of. Though their market related value would be zero, this solution would still be most advantageous to the state.